Suppose you are interested in pursuing a career in computer science. In that case, you might wonder which colleges in the United States offer the best computer science programs and opportunities for your education and future. Computer science is a broad and interdisciplinary field encompassing many areas, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, game development, and more. Computer science graduates can work in various sectors such as technology, finance, health care, education, government, and entertainment.
A computer science degree is in high demand across the world, it opens pathways to countless opportunities, making it highly desirable. A degree in computer science is offered by the top universities in the USA, including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, and many others. In this blog, we have made a list of the best colleges for computer science in the USA in 2024 based on the World University Rankings, QS University Rankings, and US computer science rankings. These rankings are based on academic reputation, faculty quality, research output, student selectivity, and graduation rates. This list will help you narrow down your choices to study computer science in the USA. Here are the top 10 colleges for computer science in the USA, according to US News:
| US computer science rank 2024 | World University Ranking 2024 (Computer science) | QS University Rankings by Subject (CS) 2023 | University Name | Annual Tuition Fee in USD | Academic and GPA requirements | English proficiency Requirement | Standardize Test Score |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | Stanford University (California) | 58,746 |
Undergraduate degree
No minimum GPA is required |
TOEFL iBT: 89
PTE: 68 |
GRE: 328 |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Massachusetts) | 59,750 |
Undergraduate degree, 3 LORs, Statement of objectives
3.3 out of 4.0 (87%) |
TOEFL iBT: 100
IELTS: 7.0 |
Not required (Average GRE: 320) |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) |
Transcripts from each college/university attended, 1-2 page SOP, 3 LORs, CV
3.0 out of 4.0 (85%) |
TOEFL iBT: 102 | No minimum GRE score (Average GRE: 316) | |
| 4 | 6 | 8 | Harvard University (Massachusetts) | 54,032 |
Transcripts, SOP (1000 words), Personal statement (500 words), 3 LORs, CV or resume
3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 85% (B grade equivalent) |
TOEFL iBT: 90
PTE: 75 |
GRE verbal: 166,
Quant: 170 |
| 5 | 9 | 13 | Princeton University (New Jersey) | 59,710 |
Transcripts, Statement of academic purpose, CV, Recommendations submitted
3.9 out of 4.0 (98%) |
TOEFL iBT: 100
PTE: 60 |
GRE: 320 |
| 6 | 10 | 4 | University of California, Berkeley (California) | 28,000 |
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, Statement of purpose, 3 LORs
3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 85% |
TOEFL iBT: 90 | 90th percentile for quants, 75th percentile for verbal, and 3.5+ for analytical |
| 7 | 13 | 36 | California Institute of Technology (California) | $58,680 |
Undergraduate degree from a registered institute, 3 LORs | Statement of purpose, CV
3.0 out of 4.0 (85%) |
TOEFL
110+ IELTS: 7 SAT 1520+ |
GRE
329+ |
| 8 | 14 | 17 | Cornell University (New York) | 29,500 |
Bachelors degree in CS or minor in CS with proven record of excellence | Undergraduate research experience
2.5 out of 4.0 (80%) |
TOEFL iBT: 24 in Writing, Listening, and Reading, 28 in Speaking | IELTS: 7.0 | Not required |
| 9 | 18 | 14 | University of Washington (Washington) | 41,630 to 44,345 |
Bachelor’s degree in CS or a related field, Personal statement, 2-3 LORs, Research essay, CV
3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent (85%) |
TOEFL iBT: 92
IELTS: 7.0 DET: 120-125 |
No minimum score (Average GRE: 300) |
| 10 | 19 | 25 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) | 29,760 |
4-year bachelor’s degree equivalent, LORs, SOP, Personal statement of 250 words, CV
3.0 out of 4.0 (85%) |
TOEFL iBT: 102 | GRE: 316 |
Stanford University
Stanford is a top computer science institute in USA that offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science for students who want to combine computer science with some other discipline. It also offers Minor programs, Joint major programs. and Doctoral programs in computer science. Stanford also offers several tracks within the computer science major, such as
- Artificial intelligence
- Bio-computation
- Analytics
- Mobile computing
- Graphics
- Human-computer interaction
- Algorithms
- Systems and theory.
Stanford’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists, and MacArthur Fellows. Stanford’s computer science graduates have founded or co-founded companies such as Google, Yahoo, Netflix, and Instagram.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT is a world-renowned institution among one of the best computer science colleges. According to QS World University Rankings by Subject (CS) 2023, MIT tops the list of computer science schools in the USA. It earns the best scores against all indicators on the basis of which these rankings are made. MIT offers Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. It also offers a variety of minors and concentrations in computer science topics such as
- Artificial intelligence for health care
- Bio-computing
- Robotics
- Machine learning
- Cybersecurity
- Data science
- Cloud computing
- Game development
MIT’s computer department continually make breakthroughs in communication networks and stability and security of computers making the world more connected. MIT is renowned in the world for its STEM programs and its computer science faculty includes Nobel laureates, Turing Award winners, and MacArthur Fellows. It has the largest and most influential computer science and artificial intelligence laboratory (CSAIL). MIT’s computer science graduates have worked at leading companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon.
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon is also a top school of computer science in USA. It is a leading computer science education and research institution that offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science in Computational Biology. Carnegie Mellon also offers minors and additional majors in computer science topics such as
- Artificial intelligence
- Robotics
- Software engineering
- Human-computer interaction.
Carnegie Mellon’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, MacArthur Fellows, and National Academy of Engineering members. It is known for its innovative research, practical application and solving real world problems. Carnegie Mellon’s computer science graduates have worked at companies like Apple, IBM, NASA, and Pixar.
Harvard University
Harvard is an Ivy League institution and is among the top computer science universities in the world. It offers a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics with a specialization in computer science. Harvard also provides several secondary fields (similar to minors) in computer science topics such as
- Computational neuroscience
- Digital humanities
- Mind/brain/behavior.
Harvard’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists, and MacArthur Fellows. Harvard’s computer science graduates have been involved in ventures such as Microsoft Research, Dropbox, and Quora. It has an impressive list of Alumni’s which makes it a consistently top ranked institute. The list includes
- Eight US presidents
- Numerous foreign leaders
- 62 billionaires
- 359 Rhodes Scholars
- 242 Marshall Scholars.
Princeton University
Princeton is another Ivy League institution and is ranked at number 5 in the list of best computer science universities in the US. It offers a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Computer Science. Princeton believes that everyone should take at least one program in CS, no matter what they major in. It also offers several certificates in computer science topics such as
- Applications of computing
- Statistics and machine learning
- Programming languages
- Network security
- Information technology policy.
Princeton’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists and MacArthur Fellows. Princeton’s computer science graduates have worked at companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and LinkedIn. Notable alumni include
- Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos
- Google executive Eric Schmidt
- Alan Turing.
University of California Berkeley
UC Berkeley is a public institution that offers a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. UC Berkeley also offers strong research programs and has over 70 EECS-affiliated labs and research centers. It also offers minors and certificates in computer science topics such as
- Data science
- Cybersecurity
- Hardware and software designs
- Information management
- Game design and development
- Computer Science engineering applications.
UC Berkeley’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists, and MacArthur Fellows. UC Berkeley’s computer science graduates have contributed to projects such as the Internet Protocol (IP), UNIX operating system, and Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD).
California Institute of Technology
Suppose you are interested in pursuing a career in computer science. In that case, consider the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as one of your options. Caltech is a world-renowned institution that offers a firm grounding in the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of computing and cutting-edge research in various subfields of computer science like
- Robotics
- Distributed systems
- Graphics.
Caltech has a strong computer science program and offers flexible curriculum allowing students to explore their interests. Students also have the opportunity to work on significant projects, collaborate with faculty and peers, and apply computational thinking to diverse problems in science and engineering. Caltech’s computer science graduates have the skills and knowledge necessary for academic, industrial, and entrepreneurial success.
Cornell University
Cornell is an Ivy League institution listed among the best universities in USA. It offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science for students who wish to combine CS with other disciplines. Cornell also offer CS as minor subjects and certifications in computer science topics such as
- Artificial intelligence
- Computational biology,
- Data science
- Game design and development
- Graphics and vision.
Cornell’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists, and MacArthur Fellows. Cornell’s computer science graduates have worked at companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter.
University of Washington
UW is a public institution that offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences with a specialization in discrete mathematics and algorithms. UW also offers several options within the computer science major, such as
- Artificial intelligence
- Bioinformatics
- Data science
- Human-computer interaction
- Security.
UW’s computer science department faculty includes Turing Award winners, MacArthur Fellows, and National Academy of Engineering members. UW has partnerships with companies like Microsoft as part of its Global Innovation Exchange project to develop innovation in teaching, learning and research. Its computer science students have founded or co-founded Amazon, Expedia, and Zillow. This university is also home to the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering – a US$72 million state-of-the-art, 85,000 square-foot facility.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
UIUC is a public institution that offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science, and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Computer Science. UIUC also offers MS in computer science and minor courses in computer science topics such as
- Artificial intelligence
- Bioinformatics
- Data science
- Software engineering.
UIUC’s computer science faculty includes Turing Award winners, MacArthur Fellows and National Academy of Engineering members. UIUC’s computer science graduates have developed technologies such as the Mosaic web browser, the HAL 9000 artificial intelligence system from 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the LLVM compiler infrastructure.
Conclusion
These are some of the best universities for computer science in the USA for international students. These US universities are ranked on their performance against different indicators including research output, faculty, education facilities, reputation, job placement and others. Choosing the best suited university is a very important task as it shapes your future and set a direction for your career prospects and opportunities. So, one must choose their institute diligently and must consider all important factors such as location, cost, culture, curriculum, and personal preference. To help you decide the best university for Computer Science in USA in 2024, we have listed the top 10 universities based on their performance. You can take guidance from the experts at HSA Consultants in your college search and application process.